The instant invention is directed towards an apparatus and method for eradicating or displacing insects or larvae accommodated within a bored tunnel situated within the internal portion of a tree or other similarly composed structure.
The control of insects, particularly boring insects is one of man's oldest problems. During modern times, the most effective controls of insects has been through the use of toxic chemicals or insecticides. However, such insecticides have had serious side effects, such as the simultaneous killing of beneficial insects, such as bees and other insects which are predators of less beneficial pests. The widespread use of insecticides has further resulted in the killing of other wildlife, such as birds and small rodents as well as detrimental effects to human kind (i.e. human exposure to DDT).
The instant invention teaches the utilization of a pressurized non-flammable non-ozone depleting fluorocarbon propellent which avoids the documented hazards associated with chlorofluorocarbon propellants found to present serious environmental and health risks. As early as the 1970's various studies have revealed that chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are released into the atmosphere and accumulate in the stratosphere where they have a deleterious effect on the ozone layer, as stratospheric ozone shields living organisms on earth from the harmful effect of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Even a relatively small decrease in the stratospheric ozone concentration can result in an increased incident of skin cancer in humans and in genetic damage in many organisms. In the stratosphere, CFC molecules break down by the action of solar ultraviolet radiation and release their constituent atoms. These then react with ozone molecules resulting in their removal.
Due to the growing concern relating to stratospheric ozone depletion and intended dangers a ban has been imposed on the use of CFC in aerosol dispensers in the late 1970s by the United States, Canada and Scandinavian countries. In 1990, 93 nations agreed to end production of ozone depleting chemicals by the end of the century and in 1992 most of the same countries agreed to end their production of CFC by the end of 1996. It is in keeping with the findings of these studies that the instant invention directs its focus to the utilization of non-chlorofluorocarbon content used in association with deployment of its propellent.
It is further noted that more modern efforts have tried to utilize biological means which control insects but do not harm other wildlife or beneficial insects. Such controls include the use of bacteria which infects only a specific insect being controlled. However, these biological controls do not appear to be the complete answer either. Though more friendly to the environment, not all insects have found susceptible to biological controls and in many cases, the control is not found completely effective.
Other species of insects have resisted all attempts to control them. Most particularly, those insects found to bore tunnels within, and sometime through the internal portion of trees. Applications of insecticide to these areas has proved to be most difficult and sometime affects the life cycle and health of the tree and other life forms in close proximity.
Other attempts to control insects by providing some degree of efficiency prove ineffective to control crawling insects. An obvious and readily apparent example of such alternative ineffectual insect controls would be electrical exterminators which are essentially a trap having an electrode grid surrounding an insect attracting element, such as a light. As the insects attempt to reach the light, they encounter electrodes which shorts out the insect's body thereby electrocuting the insect. Consequently, it would seem the electrical insect exterminators are limited to flying insects which would include moths, not necessarily caterpillars or larvae insects which bore through into trees prior to metamorphose into flying insects. These and other difficulties experienced with prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention. It is therefore an outstanding object of the instant invention to provide an environmentally sound and friendly method to eradicate or remove insects restively accommodated within a bored tunnel structure located in the internal portion of a tree or other similarly composed structures.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus and means whereby effective and efficient application of the invention's practice may be facilitated in timely and rapid succession.
It is yet a further object of the instant invention to provide an apparatus and means whereby insects may be eradicated or removed from tunnels bored within the internal portion of a tree without damaging the tree's health or other nearby living organisms.
Yet a further object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus which may be constructed for single use or multiple use applications.
An additional object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus and method whereby insects residing within a tunnel bored into the internal portion of a tree may be eradicated or eliminated absent potential or adverse health effects to the operator of the apparatus.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatus and means to eradicate insects in the internal portion of the a tree or similarly structure utilizing an easily transportable and self-contained canister pressurized with propellent to an internal pre-use pressure from between 75 psig to 150 psig.
A further objective of the instant invention is to teach the deployment of the invention's propellent absent the adverse health potential risk of fluorocarbon deployment.
Yet another object of the instant invention is to disclose and teach method and apparatus to introduce a pressurized non-flammable, non-ozone depleting fluorocarbon propellent utilizing the introduction nozzle of the instant invention in combination with an existing cannister containing propellent.
Other objects and further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals.